by Francois Muscat | Nov 29, 2017 | Digital Media Marketing
If you’re wondering why your competitors are outranking you in Google’s local pack then perhaps it’s time to do a competitive analysis. By comparing your business against some of your local competitors you’ll be able to get some insight into which factors Google is weighting most for specific search terms and improve your digital marketing as a result.
After you’ve identified those factors, you’ll be able to create a game plan to help you move up the rankings. So what makes the difference?
Well, while some sites might perform better in their organic results, they might still be beaten in the Local Pack. This is when it’s important to look at content and on-page SEO. Simply optimising your title tags, implementing H tags and some schema will help your site pass Google’s mobile-friendly test, while basic on-psge SEO can contribute to some organic wins.
In order to defend or improve your local ranking the following factors are important to consider when doing a local competitive audit and finding ways to win:
- On-page SEO
- Strong content
- txt
- Citation health
- Directing the non-www version of your site to the www one
- Site design for improved conversions
- Earning links
- Earning reviews
If you focus on having a professional, optimised website with great content, a healthy link profile, a competitive number of high-star reviews, healthy citations, etc. your site could definitely overtake all other contestants.
As part of our Website SEO audits we look at all aspects of your site that can affect
your search engine rankings by providing you with a list of actions that you can take to improve your search engine visibility and rankings. Each point noted in our report will include simple explanations of what needs to be done and recommendations of improvement.
Our Website SEO audit will take account of:
- Navigation structures
- Internal linking
- Link building campaigns
- Content issues
- PageRank issues
- Competitor analysis
- Keyword research
If you need help with your digital marketing or conducting an SEO audit of your website and those of your competitors, then give us a call today to find out how we can help you with our range of services.
by Marianna Muscat | Nov 21, 2017 | Digital Media Marketing
Data, data everywhere – if you’re marketing your business online, you probably have an idea of the sheer enormity of information that is available for you to use. This data is essential if you want to develop on point digital marketing strategies that target specific segments of your target market and ensure that you get the best reach and engagement for all of your marketing efforts.
But it’s kind of overwhelming, isn’t it? Simply in terms of volume, we are consuming and producing more digital data than ever before. Consider this: from the beginning of the digital age until 2003, human beings generated a total of 5 billion gigabytes of data. Today, in 2017, we produce the same amount every 2 days. And within a year, we can expect to produce 5 billion gigabytes every 10 minutes. Wow.
Many types of data on many different devices
Not only are we consuming and generating data online, we are doing it on different devices such as laptops, desktop computers, tablets and mobile phones. We’re surfing the internet, updating our social media profiles, sending emails and instant messages, and live streaming our favourite TV shows. Analysing these kinds of behaviours is an important aspect of online marketing strategy, ensuring that your adverts and social media advertising reaches the right people, at the right time, and is appropriate for the device that your target market most commonly uses.
How different generations are using data affects your digital marketing
A way to simplify your digital marketing strategy, is to look at data use by generation. Different generations consume online data in different ways, and provide broad audience segments that you can use as a starting point for targeting the people most likely to be your potential customers.
There are 3 distinct generations who are using the internet for various purposes: The Millennials (age 18 to 29), Generation X (age 30 to 49) and the Boomers (age 50 plus). All of these generations have differing online behaviours, that you can use to tweak your online and social media marketing strategies:
Millennials
- Spend the most amount of time watching videos online every month – 7 hours 38 mins, 6 hours of which is viewed on mobile phones.
- Use their phones as the primary means for all online activities (42% of Millennials).
- Consume the second most overall data (54.6 GB per month) but are the most connected to the internet, primarily through mobile phones.
What this means for your content marketing, is that video is an excellent way to target Millennials. However, as most Millennials seem to consume media via their phones, mobile responsiveness is absolutely essential.
Generation X
- Spend the most amount of actual time surfing the internet (33 hours per month) for work and entertainment.
- Consume slightly less online video than Millennials but still a high amount (6 hours per month, 4 hours 45 mins of which is viewed on mobile).
- Are more likely to own a number of different devices that they use to access the internet (desktops, laptops, e-readers, tablets and mobile phones)
- Consume the most overall data (59.5 GB per month), evenly balanced between broadband, wireless and mobile use.
As the generation that is currently working with a higher disposable income, Generation X is a prime segment for many marketers. Video does work for Generation X, however when targeting this age group it is important to balance different types of content that is engaging on all devices, and to pay attention to web design that is equally effective on both mobile and desktop.
Boomers
- Are more likely to access the internet via their home computers (60%) than via their mobile phones (10%)
- Consume the least amount of data (44 GB per month) watching online videos.
- Are less likely to own mobile devices such as tablets, e-readers and smart phones.
Boomers are mostly traditionalists, so traditional digital marketing (such as Facebook and blogging) will work better than more ‘modern’ strategies such as video. The focus for creating content for this generation should be on desktop, with mobile devices secondary.
Need expert digital marketing for your online business? Contact us today and find out more about of professional services!
by admin | Nov 20, 2017 | Digital Media Marketing
The yellow pages are dead. If you want your small business to attract new customers, you need to start hanging out where your customers are – online. Cost-effective and targeted, with digital marketing you can make sure you’re reaching and connecting with the right people and that you are making the most of your investment.
Why You Should Consider Digital Marketing:
· Data Beats Opinion
Small businesses that make the most of digital marketing not only position themselves where they can be seen, in front of potential customers, but they also equip themselves with the tools to track marketing efforts. This then offers them far more information as to where to focus their future marketing efforts going forward, which of course means they can make even better use of their marketing budget, while tracking their return on the investment.
When it comes to digital marketing, word of mouth continues to be a primary driver for customers, with most people saying reviews and endorsements play a role in their buying decisions. Here, social media provides a platform for people to “meet” and share their thoughts on brands and experiences. With the growing power of social media influencers as well, it’s clear that what people are saying online about your company is not something you can ignore. Fortunately, social media also affords small business owners the opportunity to get involved in the conversation, to reply to posts and comments and to turn potential bad reviews into opportunities to build trust and loyalty.
Compared to traditional methods of advertising, digital marketing is far more cost-effective. An email or social media campaign can easily communicate the same message for less than a TV, radio or newspaper advert, and it has the potential to be shared all over the world. It’s an enormously powerful communication medium and if you’re not on board, sadly, you’ll be left behind.
- The Power Is in Your Hands
Digital marketing is easily manageable. This means that unlike conventional methods of advertising, which are set in stone once they go live, digital marketing allows you to make changes on the fly. You can add new offers, swap out images, change the copy and send your content out via a multitude of different methods in response to real-time results.
It’s important to realise that digital marketing does not mean that if you’ve got a website, you’re sorted. Rather, it involves a whole host of tactics from the actual web design itself to search engine optimisation (SEO), link building, content marketing and social media marketing. If you need help to pull your digital marketing strategy together, contact us today to find out how we can help you grow your business online.
by Francois Muscat | Nov 15, 2017 | Digital Media Marketing
Ever heard of social media listening? It’s the next big thing in social media marketing strategy, enabling you to tailor your online marketing for higher engagement with your target audience.
We’ve known for a long time that social media marketing is about creating conversations with potential customers, but unfortunately for many brands communication has become all talk and no listening. By monitoring social media reactions to your brand, your competition, and your industry at large however, you gain valuable insights and feedback that allows you to fine tune your strategies and services to be more effective.
Social media listening is now far more accessible thanks to easy to use tools that are standard with Facebook and Instagram business accounts. These insights give you statistics on engagement, demographics and the activities of competitor accounts. There are also external tools that can help you track social media behaviour around your brand, giving you loads of information that you can use to create engaging content and better digital marketing campaigns.
So how can you use information gleaned from social listening to better your online marketing?
Engaging content that is truly relevant to your market
When it comes to content, quality is far more important than quantity. By looking at what people are actually saying, and what they are reacting positively to, social listening enables brands to have insight into what people actually want in terms of quality website content, and then change things up to deliver just that. Any new strategy in website content should be reflected across the board on all social networks, so that the power of social media can be leveraged to drive traffic back to the website.
Stay a step ahead of your competitors
Social media monitoring gives you access to a wealth of data on your competitors – from what their strategies are, to what customers are saying about them. Most importantly it gives you info on any negative feedback, so you can see where they are going wrong and take steps in your own marketing and service delivery to offer an improved offering. By monitoring online conversations that involve your competitors, you can stay one step ahead of the game while also gaining vital insights into the needs of your target market.
Improved search engine optimisation
One of the most difficult aspects of SEO strategy for smaller businesses, is developing keyword strategies that rank high enough to make a dent in Google search rankings. Social listening allows brands to track the words that people are using when talking about their products or services, and can assist with providing new keywords and search terms that had not been thought of. By monitoring social media conversations, you can also pick up on trending topics that can be then used to leverage engagement for special campaigns.
Develop a fantastic online reputation
Reputation can make or break any business, and when reviews and opinions spread like wildfire across social media, just one small slip up that goes unresolved can be extremely damaging. Social listening helps brands to identify customers who are unhappy with their product or service, and take appropriate steps to make amends or otherwise rectify the situation. Because this is done online, on a public platform, the brand is then seen to be humble and trustworthy; while formerly disgruntled customers end up becoming positive ambassadors for the brand.
If you are in need of digital marketing strategy for your online business, contact us today for expert, professional service!
by admin | Nov 13, 2017 | Digital Media Marketing
With its increasing popularity, Black Friday is one holiday you cannot afford to ignore. The biggest shopping day of the year, whether you’re in retail or business, customers are going to expect some sort of discount or special offer from you. The good news is there is still time to get your digital marketing plan in order and to create an exciting campaign!
Top Digital Marketing Tactics for Black Friday:
- Hype it up: Timing is everything! Build hype leading up to Black Friday with posts about your deals on social media. Make sure your deals are above and beyond any other offers you might have run earlier in the year so that consumers will really feel like they’re getting an unmissable deal. This will not only give consumers the chance to plan their shopping ahead of time, but it will make them feel valued and in-the-know. Google Ads will also work to supplement your social media strategy by building awareness of your brand in search results, while also potentially driving traffic to your website.
- Email it: Say what you will about email marketing, but it works! And it works even better when your emails are designed for mobile, which then clicks through to a website for ease of conversion. Three-quarters of Black Friday emails are opened on a mobile device. So, make sure you’re catering to popular preferences and enable your customers to shop online if they want to. As with the point above, it’s also key to implement your email marketing at least a week before Black Friday and then keep your content coming throughout the weekend.
- Pay for it: Like it or not, organic social posts just don’t have the reach that a paid post does. Use paid social ads for maximum impact over this key period to give your content marketing a boost and potentially reach new audiences. Then drive these customers to dedicated landing pages with special discount codes, making it easy for them to convert. Now, the cost per click is likely to be quite high at this time of year, but you can get clever with local-based words and long-tail keywords. If it all seems too overwhelming, a professional can help you figure out which ones would be best.
- Get creative: Creativity plays an important role when you’re trying to stand out from the crowd and get them to choose you. Build anticipation with eye-catching visuals and persuasive copywriting that create a sense of urgency and excitement – post countdown messages, hint at the discounts you might be offering and keep them waiting to find out more. Then make sure your communication ends with very clear calls to action that tell your audience exactly what they’re meant to do next.
- Be exclusive: Set up a dedicated Black Friday landing page on your website. You can then drive your loyal email subscribers to this landing page and offer them exclusive deals that will make them feel like they’re valued and appreciated by you and that they’re getting something nobody else can.
- Engage: Make sure all your marketing channels are connected, as Black Friday is a huge opportunity to drive engagement and conversions. Ensure your email content mentions your social media profiles and share your emails on your social media too in order to drive sign-ups. It’s all about closing the loop!
If you need help to ensure your digital marketing strategy is on point for Black Friday, then give us a call. From social media marketing to content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), link building and website design, we can do it all! Contact us to find out more about our digital marketing services today.
by Francois Muscat | Nov 8, 2017 | Digital Media Marketing
These days, it’s essential for any business to have a digital marketing strategy to build an online presence and create awareness on social media and other digital platforms. But, there is so much competition out there, so how do you stand out?
One way is to look at your content, as publishing high quality material that is truly relevant and beneficial to your customers (whether it’s on your website, or through social media) helps to build trust and generate interest. Developing a regular podcast as part of your marketing strategy is one way to ensure excellent content that many of your competitors may not be using.
These are just a few reasons why adding a podcast is great for your online marketing:
Audio content allows for multitasking
Unlike text or video content, a podcast allows people to listen while engaging in other activities such as driving or exercising. This makes it more convenient to use and an enriching rather than distracting experience.
Podcasts allow for interesting formats, such as interviews
Interviews will always be popular content whatever the medium. Podcasts naturally allow for engaging interviews with industry experts and panel discussions that are interesting for your listeners.
Audio is personal and builds trust
There is something very intimate about hearing someone’s voice. Your listeners will pick up on your passion, integrity and sincerity through a podcast – more so than through video. This type of personal connection builds trust in you first, and leads to trust in your products or services.
iTunes and Stitcher can help increase your reach
Podcasts are typically published on platforms such as iTunes and Stitcher, which actually function as search engines for people who are looking for music, or podcasts on specific topics. Your podcast is more likely to be seen in an iTunes search than a Google search, which increases exposure for your business.
There is not as much competition
Even though podcasts are gaining popularity, it is still an area of content marketing that is underused. What this means is that while in other areas of digital marketing your industry may be saturated, with podcasts you could well have the opportunity to become the ‘go-to expert’, while standing apart from your competitors who are not producing audio content.
Audio content is cost effective and easy to create
It is far quicker to record yourself speaking than it is to write and edit a blog. A podcast is also less expensive to produce than high quality video posts. All you need is a microphone, and software to record, edit and save your podcasts.
An opportunity for a strong call to action
At the end of every podcast, you should consistently be using a strong call to action (such as visiting your website). Use the same words and format every time, and be sure that the directions are easy to follow. This ensures that your podcasts actually deliver real results and helps you to acquire new customers.
For further advice on online marketing and digital marketing strategy that works for your business, contact us today.
